Out of Cornstarch, one case

Cornstarch substitute for baking

5 options, ranked, with the exact amount

Use thisBest of 5 options

Use All-purpose flour in fillings and custards

2 tbsp for every 1 tbsp of cornstarch

It depends on what the cornstarch is doing. Where it thickens a filling or a custard, use 2 tbsp all-purpose flour per 1 tbsp cornstarch and cook it a couple of minutes longer. Where it is a dry ingredient that makes a cookie, cake or shortbread tender, replace it with the same amount of arrowroot, tapioca starch, potato starch or plain flour. Baking powder and baking soda are not substitutes: they raise a batter and do not thicken or tenderize.

Verdict —: Tweak it
The tweak —: Whisk the flour with the sugar or into cold liquid before it meets heat, then cook a stovetop filling at a gentle boil for 2 minutes after it thickens.
Best for —: cream pie fillings, pastry cream and baked custards
Pantry —: Likely in your cupboard

One casethe full cornstarch card

Every option, one card

Ranked

Cornstarch substitutes compared
#	Substitute	Instead of 1 tbsp cornstarch	Verdict
1	All-purpose flour in fillings and custardscream pie fillings, pastry cream and baked custards	2 tbspTweak it	Tweak it
2	All-purpose flour in doughs and batterscookies that call for 1 to 2 tsp cornstarch	1 tbspTweak it	Tweak it
3	Arrowroot powdershortbread, sugar cookies and tender cakes	1 tbspTweak it	Tweak it
4	Tapioca starchfruit pies and cobblers, especially ones you will freeze	1 tbspTweak it	Tweak it
5	Potato starchsponge cakes and shortbread	1 tbspTweak it	Tweak it
Not a swap	Baking powder or baking soda	not a swapNot for this	Not for this

What changesWhat changes, option by option5 options

All-purpose flour in fillings and custards

neutral once cooked through; pasty if undercooked

Wheat flour is only about three-quarters starch, so it takes twice as much to thicken the same filling. It sets firmly enough for a cream pie to slice, which the root starches do not.

Best for: cream pie fillings, pastry cream and baked custards, apple pie and other fruit fillings that do not need to look clear, fillings that will be chilled and sliced
Prep: Whisk the flour with the sugar or into cold liquid before it meets heat, then cook a stovetop filling at a gentle boil for 2 minutes after it thickens.
Contains: gluten
Where it fails: Berry and cherry fillings and fruit glazes, which turn cloudy and matte. A filling pulled off the heat too early tastes of raw flour.

All-purpose flour in doughs and batters

no change in taste; slightly chewier and less tender

In a cookie, cake or shortbread the cornstarch is there to dilute the flour's protein. Swapping it for the same amount of flour keeps the dry weight of the recipe about right and gives up some tenderness.

Best for: cookies that call for 1 to 2 tsp cornstarch, cakes and muffins, when there is no other starch in the house
Prep: Use the same amount, not double, and mix only until the flour disappears so the extra gluten does not toughen the crumb.
Contains: gluten
Where it fails: Shortbread and melting-moment cookies, where cornstarch is a large share of the dry mix: all flour makes them firmer and less sandy.

Arrowroot powder

neutral taste

A pure starch with no gluten, so it tenderizes a dough the way cornstarch does and thickens a fruit filling clear and glossy.

Best for: shortbread, sugar cookies and tender cakes, fruit pie fillings and fruit glazes, gluten-free and grain-free baking
Prep: In a filling, stir it into cold liquid or toss it with the sugar first.
Suits: vegan, gluten-free
Where it fails: Cream pies, pastry cream and anything made with milk: arrowroot turns slimy with dairy and will not set to a slice.

Tapioca starch

neutral; the set is glossy and slightly stretchy

Cassava starch, also sold as tapioca flour. It stays clear in a fruit pie and holds up through freezing, and in a dough it stands in for cornstarch measure for measure.

Best for: fruit pies and cobblers, especially ones you will freeze, gluten-free flour blends, cookies, where it adds a little chew
Prep: Toss it with the fruit and sugar and let the filling stand 15 minutes before it goes into the crust.
Suits: vegan, gluten-free
Where it fails: Cream pies and puddings, which stay loose. Too much in a fruit filling turns it gluey.

Potato starch

neutral taste

Another pure starch that swaps for cornstarch in the dry mix of a cake or cookie. Check the bag says starch: potato flour is a different, heavier product.

Best for: sponge cakes and shortbread, Passover and gluten-free baking, cookies that should stay soft
Suits: vegan, gluten-free
Where it fails: Fillings that bake or boil for a long time: potato starch thins out when it is held at a boil, so it is a poor choice for pie filling and pastry cream.

Baking powder or baking soda

bitter, salty and soapy in the amounts a cornstarch swap would need

Both are leaveners. Baking powder contains cornstarch to keep it dry, but the rest of it is baking soda and acid, which make gas and do not thicken.

Best for: raising a batter, which is a different job
Where it fails: Everywhere cornstarch is called for. A tablespoon of baking powder in a filling foams and tastes metallic; in a cookie it makes the dough puff, spread and taste of soda.

How it behaves in this recipe

In this recipeCornstarch

Cornstarch has two separate jobs in baking. In a pie filling, pastry cream or custard it is the thickener that sets the liquid. In a cookie, cake or shortbread it is a dry ingredient with no gluten, which softens the crumb. The right substitute, and the right amount, changes with the job, so check which one your recipe is asking for first.

Tips for substituting cornstarch

5 tips

Fillings: 2 tbsp flour per 1 tbsp cornstarch, and keep a stovetop filling at a gentle boil for 2 minutes after it thickens so it loses the raw flour taste.
Doughs and batters: replace the cornstarch with the same amount of arrowroot, tapioca starch, potato starch or flour. Doubling the flour here makes the bake dry.
A cookie recipe with 1 to 2 tsp cornstarch still works if you leave it out. Chill the dough 30 minutes so the cookies spread less.
For homemade cake flour without cornstarch, take 2 tbsp out of 1 cup all-purpose flour and put in 2 tbsp arrowroot or potato starch, then sift twice.
Fruit pie going into the freezer: use tapioca starch. Flour and cornstarch fillings both weep liquid when they thaw.

Questions

5 questions

Can I use baking powder instead of cornstarch in baking?

No. Baking powder is a leavener made of baking soda, a powdered acid and cornstarch. It will not thicken a filling, and enough of it to replace the cornstarch makes a bake taste bitter and metallic. Use flour, arrowroot, tapioca starch or potato starch.

Is baking soda a substitute for cornstarch?

No. Baking soda is pure leavener with no starch in it. It will not thicken anything and tastes soapy in any quantity beyond what a recipe needs to rise.

Can I leave the cornstarch out of a cake or cookie recipe?

If the amount is small, 1 to 2 tsp in a batch of cookies, yes: the result is a little less soft. If the recipe uses several tablespoons, as shortbread and some sponge cakes do, replace it with the same amount of another starch or flour so the dry and wet ingredients stay in balance.

How much flour replaces ¼ cup cornstarch in a pie filling?

Use ½ cup flour. The rule is double: 2 tbsp flour per 1 tbsp cornstarch. Whisk it with the sugar before adding liquid so it does not lump, and expect an opaque filling.

What is the gluten-free substitute for cornstarch in baking?

Cornstarch is already gluten-free, so stay with a pure starch: arrowroot, tapioca starch or potato starch, each in the same amount. Use tapioca starch or arrowroot in fruit fillings. A cream filling is the hard case: white rice flour at 2 tbsp per 1 tbsp cornstarch thickens it to a soft, spoonable filling, not one that slices cleanly.